In reference to Mr Collings' letter (20 Aug), I started my Tauranga City Council (TCC) election campaign spending 30% of my budget surveying the Tauranga community to ask your opinion on Council Issues (wouldn't my approach make a nice change at Council?). The survey results clearly show the community knows there are grave problems at TCC. Council's deteriorating budgets and huge rates hikes support the community's view.
I also spent a lot of time conducting quality research on TCC projects, accounts, and operations (all the numbers used in my communications are correct and referenced).
There are a lot of issues that can easily be fixed and improved. Common sense solutions will allow TCC to deliver many more community benefits for much less money.
The Tauranga community now needs new quality leaders who are willing to face up to the problems at Council, who are willing to be open and honest about the mistakes at Council, who are willing to address the problems rather than make excuses for them, and who have the skills and experience to generate successful solutions.
Only then will we create the environment in which the problems can be fixed, and the Council can start delivering more 4 less!
Mark Groos, Tauranga.